Improvement in gates for swing-bridges



ALONZO D. NOR'THWAY,

Improvement in Gates for Swinging Bridges.

g I l Patented Dec.12.1871.

Fig.4.

UNITED STATES PATENT QFFICE.

ALONZO D. NORTHWAY, OF KENOSHA, WISCONSIN.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATES FOR SWING-BRIDGES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 121,892, dated December12, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALONZO D. NORTHWAY, of Kenosha, in the county ofKenosha and State of Wisconsin, have invented an Improved Gate forSwing-Bridges, of which the following is a specification The presentinvention relates to an improved gate for closing the roadway at theends of swing-bridges to prevent accidents; and its nature consistsinapeculiarly-arranged gate, which is jointed to the roadway so as tolie flat down when the bridge is shutand to swing upright when thebridge is open, the gate being properly brought to these positions bythe opening and closing of the bridge, as the whole is hereinafter fullydescribed and shown.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a plan or top view of my improved gate aswhen in position for teams and passengers to pass over the bridge; Fig.2, an elevation of one-half of the bridge with the gate raised up; Fig.3, an end elevation of the bridge, showing the cam for operating thegate; Fig. 4, a central sectional elevation of half of the bridge; Fig.5, an elevation of one of the locks which holds the gate in an uprightposition; Fig. 6, a broken plan view of the roadway adjoining thebridge, showing the lever by means of which the lock at Fig. 5 isoperated Fig. 7, an elevation of the roadway looking outwardly from thegate, showing, also, the gate and its attachments.

In the drawing only one-half of the bridge is shown, with one gate, butas the other part of the bridge is to be a duplicate of the part shown,there can be no ditlicultyin understanding from the followingdescription the construction and operation of the gate.

A represents the carriage-way, and B the footway of the bridge, whichare protected by railings U l) in the usual manner. bis the pier, and athe turn-table on which the bridge swings, the bank or roadway beingshown at E, for all of which no novelty is claimed. The gate consistsoftwo standards, I, which are jointed to the roadway, and supporthorizontal rods or bars G H, to which a suitable metal plate, F, isattached. This plate forms that part of the gate which closes theroadway, and when the bridge is shut it laps onto the end of the bridge,so as to have a firm support to sustain any load liable to come thereon.To the said bars G H is jointed a droplever, V, at X, which supports ananti-friction roller,W. The arrangement of this lever is such that whenthe cam-track f, Figs. 2, 3, and 4, raises the roller W up, the gatewill be set upright, as shown at Figs. 2, 4, and 7, the lever beingcarried longitudinally upward; and such that when the gate is to be shutdown that the end of the bridge will strike against the lower end of thelever V and force it back toward the roadway, carrying the upper endtoward the bridge, so that it will fall down by its own gravity. Thefulcrum against which the lever V bears during this operation is shownat m, Fig. 4.

The means for holding the gate in an upright position when the bridge isopen consists of locks K O, the lock K being considered a modificationof O, which consists of a slotted piece of iron in which the end of barGr slides and locks in a notch, It, as shown at Fig. 5, when the gate iselevated; said slotted piece being pivoted to the side of the roadway E.

The means for throwing the lock 0 back so as to loosen the catch ornotch B from the bar (3r consists of a horizontal lever, T, pivoted tothe roadway E, and operated by the end of the bridge when being shut.This operation allows the bar G to slide down in the slot 1 to a stop atthe bottom of slot, so that the gate will lie flat down, as shown atFig. l. The lock K consists of a bar of iron pivoted to a standard, M,and provided with a notch on its under side for catching onto the end ofbar G, and with a projecting end, which is operated upon by a roller, N,pivoted to the bridge, so that as the bridge is closing the lock K willbe raised up and allow the gate to fall flat down. The means forpreventing the lock from falling too low consists of a forked standard,L, fixed to the roadway.

By the means above described the bridge will raise and lower the gateautomatically when turned in either direction, yet operate the gate soslowly that there is no liability of injuring passengers or teams.

What I claim is- The combination of the gate F G H I jointed to theroadway, the locks K O, cam f, roller \N, lever T, and roller N, as setforth.

ALONZO D. NORTHVVAY.

Witnesses:

W. H. LEE,

W. S. FLUsKEY. (52)

